NY Post Endorses Rob Astorino for Westchester county executive

When voters in heavily Democratic Westchester traded in their longtime Democratic county executive for a Republican in 2009, they sent a clear message: Someone do something about our taxes!

Voters who are still worried about taxes will re-elect Rob Astorino on Tuesday.

Let’s face it: Few New York pols can boast the fiscal record Astorino’s achieved. Despite red ink, rising costs, hostile public-sector unions and the county’s Democratic tilt, he brought in lower budgets: Even this year, the county’s bills of just over $1.7 billion will be lower than the nearly $1.8 billion tab when he took office.

That’s allowed Astorino to keep local taxes in check, which is a big deal in Westchester, the county with the nations’s highest median property tax.

Astorino has also been unflappable in defending Westchester’s rights against an outrageous racial and social-engineering project Team Obama has tried to impose by dictating where Westchester must place low-income housing. It’s using federal grants as leverage and has already withheld $7.4 million in ­funding.

Astorino has stood firm against this federal overreach. In so doing, he’s not only protected Westchester’s autonomy but the rights of local jurisdictions nationwide. By contrast, his Democratic rival, New Rochelle Mayor Noam Bramson, seems to favor concessions.

Astorino deserves much credit for his fiscal hawkishness and his staunch defense of local rights. But he’s got more work to do. Which is why The Post enthusiastically endorses Rob Astorino for a second term as county executive.